Template for individual surgical stockings and method of forming the same



Oct. 12, 1954 c. JOBST 2,691, 1 TEMPLATE FOR INDIVIDUAL SURGICAL STOCKINGS AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME Filed May 21, 1951 FIGJ,

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CONRAD JOBST J J A J J 1 ATTGRNEYS Patented Oct. 12, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT V 2,691,221 OFFICE TEMPLATE FOR INDIVIDUAL SURGICAL STOCKINGS AND METHOD OF FORM- ING THE SAME 3 Claims. 1

The invention relates to the manufacture of individual surgical stockings and forms a continuation-in-part of my former application for Patent Serial N 0. 94,831, filed May 23, 1949, issued November 13, 1951, Patent No. 2,574,873.

It is the object of the invention to provide means for accurately fitting the surgical stocking to the individual wearer for which it is designed, and to this end the invention consists in a template and method of forming the same, as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the template blank before fitting the same;

Fig. 2 is an elevation illustrating the manner of placing the blank on the extremity of the patient and fitting the same thereto;

Fig. 3 is a cross section showing the template blank wrapped about the extremity; and

Fig. 4-. is an elevation similar to Fig. 1 showing the completed template.

The surgical stocking which forms the subject matter of my former application above referred to is one formed of elastic fabric, and in which the circumferential tensions and resulting radial pressures are accurately graduated to progressively decrease from the distal to the proximal portion of the extremity on which the stocking is placed, thereby assisting the flow of venous blood. Obviously the stocking must be fashioned to fit the individual wearer, which necessitates accurate measurement of the extremity on which it is to be placed.

To facilitate the taking of measurements of the individual and the applying of the same to the corresponding portions of the stocking, I have devised a template and a method of forming the same as follows.

The template blank is formed of flexible inelastic material, such as paper, and includes a longitudinally extending strip portion A and a series of spaced parallel laterally extending strip portions B, which are of a length in excess of the maximum circumferential length to be measured. This blank may be either cut from a paper sheet or preferably formed of individual paper strips which may be cut from waste material and secured to each other by a suitable adhesive. In taking the measurements, the longitudinal strip portion is extended longitudinally of the extremity of the patient as, for instance, vertically along the front of the leg and over the foot. The laterally extending strips are then successively wound about the leg with the portions thereof overlapping the longitudinal strip portion, secured thereto by suitable adhesive, to form a series of annular bands closely fitting the corresponding circumferential portions of the leg. The bands are then severed along a line parallel to the longitudinal strip to permit of removal from the leg. This completes the template from which accurate measurement may be applied to the stocking blank cut from the elastic fabric.

The method of forming the stocking is not the subject matter of the instant invention. However, it may be said in general that the measurements applied to the stocking blank cut from the elastic fabric differ from those in the template but are proportional thereto. The stocking, when placed on the extremity, will be stretched both circumferentially and longitudinally. Consequently, the spacing between the successive circumferential measurements in the untensioned elastic fabric will be less than those of the template. Also as the circumferentialtensions are progressively increased from the upper to the lower end of the stocking, the circumferential lengths in the unstretched fabric will be correspondingly varied from those of the template. However, in forming the template these factors are not considered and it is only necessary that the successive circumferential lengths should exactly correspond to those of the extremity on which the stocking is to be placed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A blank for forming a template corresponding in dimensions to the skin area of an extremity of an individual for whom a surgical stocking is to be formed, said blank being formed of flexible non-elastic paper and consisting solely of a strip portion adapted to be extended longitudinally of said extremity for the full length of said stocking, and a series of spaced parallel strip portions extending transversely from one edge of the aforesaid strip portion at right angles thereto and each of a width less than the open space therebetween and of a length in excess of the maximum circumferential length of any portion of said extremity.

2. The method of forming a template for an individual surgical stocking comprising placing a template blank of the construction of claim 1 with the longitudinal strip portion thereof extending lengthwise of said extremity of the individual and the transverse strip portion wound around the registering portions of the extremity to overlap said longitudinal strip, connecting the overlapping portions to form skin fitting bands, and severing said bands, thereby permitting removal of the template, each transverse strip of which is the exact circumferential length of the registering portion of said extremity.

3. The method as in claim 2 in which said template blank has its longitudinal strip portion extended lengthwise of the front of the leg of the individual and over the instep and foot, said transverse strips being wrapped around the leg, instep and. foot and connected to form bands which when severed are of corresponding circumferential lengths.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 986,884 Whitelaw Mar. 14, 1911 1,328,538 Newberg Jan. 20, 1920 2,017,813 Giuntini Oct. 15, 1935 

